Controlled pressure pulser for coiled tubing applications

Abstract

An apparatus, method, and system for generating pressure pulses in a drilling fluid flowing within coiled tubing assembly is described that includes; a flow throttling device longitudinally and axially positioned within the center of a main valve actuator assembly that allows main exit flow fluid to flow past a drive shaft and motor such that the pilot fluid and the main exit flow fluid causes one or more flow throttling devices to generate large, rapid controllable pulses. The pulses generated by the flow throttling device thereby allow transmission of well-developed signals easily distinguished from any noise resulting from other vibrations due to nearby equipment within the borehole or exterior to the borehole, or within the coiled tubing assembly wherein the signals also provide predetermined height, width and shape of the signals.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for generating pressure pulses in a drilling fluid flowing and enhancing completing a well bore within a coiled tubing assembly comprising:
 a flow throttling device longitudinally and axially positioned within the center of a main valve actuator assembly, said main valve actuator assembly comprising a main valve pressure chamber, a magnetic cup encompassing a rotary magnetic coupling containing at least one magnet adjacent to a drive shaft wherein said magnetic cup is located within a pilot actuator assembly, said pilot actuator assembly including a pilot orifice with a pilot valve, a pilot flow shield, a bellows and an anti-rotation block such that passage of said drilling fluid flows through a pilot flow screen and further flows into a main flow entrance into a flow cone through a main orifice and into a main valve past the main valve pressure chamber past a set of seals and through a main valve support block toward a flow seal guide where said fluid combines with a pilot exit fluid that flows toward a main exit flow such that as said fluid becomes a pilot fluid, said pilot fluid subsequently flows through said pilot flow screen into said pilot flow screen chamber through a pilot flow upper annulus, through a pilot flow lower annulus and into a pilot flow inlet channel, wherein said pilot fluid then flows up into a main valve feed channel until it reaches the main valve pressure chamber such that said pilot fluid flows back down a main valve feed channel through a pilot flow exit channel through said pilot orifice and said pilot valve such that said pilot fluid exits said pilot valve and said pilot fluid then flows over said pilot flow shield such that said pilot fluid combines with said main flow to become a main exit flow fluid, said main exit flow fluid then exits a pilot valve support block and flows on either side of said magnetic cup including said rotary magnetic coupling and wherein one or more pressure sensors measuring the pressure of flowing fluid is located inside said pilot valve support block upon which a helical pulser support rests wherein said pilot valve support block also houses an annular pressure sensor residing in an annular pressure inlet and wherein a lower portion of said pilot valve support block also contains a helically cut cylinder that mates with and rests on the helical pulser support that is mounted securely in a tubular hang-off collar such that said annular pressure inlet is aligned with one or more collared annular pressure ports thus still allowing said main exit flow fluid to flow past the drive shaft and motor such that said pilot fluid and main exit flow fluid causes one or more flow throttling devices to generate large, rapid controllable pulses thereby allowing transmission of well-developed signals easily distinguished from any noise resulting from other vibrations due to nearby equipment within said borehole or exterior to said borehole, or within said coiled tubing assembly, wherein said signals also are capable of providing predetermined height, width and shape. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a mating area for electrical wiring with said annular pressure sensors exist for said collared annular pressure ports such that said ports are sealed off by flow guide seals insuring that said annular pressure sensors receive and sense only the annular pressure within said collared annular pressure ports. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein electrical wiring of said annular pressure sensors are sealed off from the flow of said main exit flow fluid with sensor cavity plugs and wherein said wires are routed to an electrical connector. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus for generating pulses includes a pilot, a pilot bellows, a flow throttling device, and a main valve pressure chamber, such that said flow throttling device and said pilot are capable of bi-directional axial movement without a guide pole. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a magnetic coupling is formed by a location external and internal to said magnetic pressure cup where outer magnets are placed in relation to inner magnets, said inner magnets located in a position inside said magnetic pressure cup, said coupling allowing for translating rotational motion of said motor and outer magnets to linear motion of said inner magnets via a magnetic polar interaction, wherein linear motion of said inner magnets move said pilot actuator assembly, thereby linearly moving a pilot into a pilot seat, closing a pilot seat orifice, lifting a flow throttling device into a flow throttling orifice and thereby generating a pulse wherein further rotation of said motor drive shaft, and outer magnets move said pilot actuator assembly and said pilot away from said pilot seat causing said flow throttling device to move away from said flow throttling orifice, thereby ending a positive pulse. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said motor is connected to the drive shaft through a mechanical device including mechanical means including a worm gear, or barrel cam face cam for converting the rotational motion of said motor into linear motion to propel said pilot actuator assembly. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus includes a path for said pilot and said flow throttling device for operation in a bi-directional axial movement. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said pilot actuator assembly is comprised of a rear pilot shaft, front pilot shaft, pilot shield, and pilot. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein differential pressure is maximized with the use of said flow cone in that said cone provides for increasing the velocity of said drilling fluid through said main valve actuator assembly, thereby greatly enhancing the pressure differential and controllability of energy pulses created by engagement or disengagement of said pilot valve from a pilot seat. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein energy consumption is further reduced by pre-filling a bellows chamber with a lubricating fluid, gel or paste. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus for generating pulses includes allowing a bellows to move linearly, concurrent with said pilot actuator assembly, wherein the design of said bellows interacts with said pilot actuator assembly and a bellows chamber allowing said bellows to conform to the space constraints of said bellows chamber providing flexible sealing without said bellows being displaced by the pressure differential created by said drilling fluid. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said bellows may include a double loop configuration designed for said flexible sealing thereby requiring less energy consumption during displacement of said bellows. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said pulse in drilling mud is sensed by instrumentation located uphole and wherein said pulse is communicated with wireless devices, to a computer with a programmable controller for interpretation. 
     
     
       14. A method for generating pressure pulses in a drilling fluid flowing and enhancing completion of a well bore within a coiled tubing assembly comprising:
 assembling and utilizing a flow throttling device longitudinally and axially positioned within the center of a main valve actuator assembly such that said main valve actuator assembly comprises a main valve pressure chamber, a magnetic cup encompassing a rotary magnetic coupling containing at least one magnet adjacent to a drive shaft wherein said magnetic cup is located within a pilot actuator assembly and said pilot actuator assembly also includes a pilot orifice with a pilot valve, a pilot flow shield, a bellows and an anti-rotation block for allowing flow of said drilling fluid through a pilot flow screen further allowing flowing into a main flow entrance into a flow cone through a main orifice and into a main valve past the main valve pressure chamber past a set of seals and through a main valve support block toward a flow seal guide where said fluid combines with a pilot exit fluid that flows toward a main exit flow such that as said fluid becomes a pilot fluid, said pilot fluid subsequently flowing through said pilot flow screen into said pilot flow screen chamber through a pilot flow upper annulus, through a pilot flow lower annulus and into a pilot flow inlet channel, wherein said pilot fluid next is flowing up into a main valve feed channel until it reaches the main valve pressure chamber such that said pilot fluid is subsequently flowing back down the main valve feed channel through a pilot flow exit channel through said pilot orifice and said pilot valve such that said pilot fluid exits said pilot valve and said pilot fluid is subsequently flowing over said pilot flow shield to allow for combining pilot fluid with said main flow to become the main exit flowing fluid, said main exit flowing fluid next exits a pilot valve support block and continues flowing on either side of said magnetic cup including said rotary magnetic coupling and wherein one or more pressure sensors measuring the pressure of flowing fluid are located inside said pilot valve support block upon which a helical pulser support is resting and wherein said pilot valve support block is also housing an annular pressure sensor residing in an annular pressure inlet and wherein a lower portion of said pilot valve support block is also containing a helically cut cylinder for mating with and resting on the helical pulser support mounted securely in a tubular hang-off collar such that said annular pressure inlet is aligning with one or more collared annular pressure ports thus still allowing said main exit flowing fluid to flow past the drive shaft and motor such that said pilot fluid and main exit flowing fluid is causing one or more flow throttling devices to generate large, rapid controllable pulses thereby allowing transmission of well-developed signals easily distinguished from any noise resulting from other vibrations due to nearby equipment within said borehole or exterior to said borehole, or within said coiled tubing assembly, and wherein said signals also are capable of providing predetermined height, width and shape. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , such that a mating area existing for electrical wiring with said annular pressure sensors is being utilized for said collared annular pressure ports such that said ports are sealed off by flow guide seals insuring that said annular pressure sensors are receiving and sensing only the annular pressure within said collared annular pressure ports. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , such that sealing of electrical wiring for said annular pressure sensors ensures that said sensors are sealed off from the flowing of said main exit flowing fluid with sensor cavity plugs and wherein routing said wires to an electrical connector is also achieved. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , wherein said method for generating pulses includes using a pilot, a pilot bellows, a flow throttling device, and a main valve pressure chamber, such that said flow throttling device and said pilot perform bi-directional axial movement without a guide pole. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 14 , wherein forming a magnetic coupling by a location external and internal to said magnetic pressure cup exists such that outer magnets are placed in relation to inner magnets, said inner magnets being located in a position inside said magnetic pressure cup, said coupling allowing for translating rotational motion of said motor and outer magnets to linear motion of said inner magnets via a magnetic polar interaction, wherein linear motion of said inner magnets move said pilot actuator assembly, thereby linearly moving a pilot into a pilot seat, closing a pilot seat orifice, lifting a flow throttling device into a flow throttling orifice and thereby generating a pulse wherein further rotation of said motor drive shaft, and outer magnets move said pilot actuator assembly and said pilot away from said pilot seat causing said flow throttling device to move away from said flow throttling orifice, thereby ending a positive pulse. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 14 , wherein connecting said motor to the drive shaft through a mechanical device including mechanical means including a worm gear, or barrel cam face cam for converting the rotational motion of said motor into linear motion to propel said pilot actuator assembly occurs. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 14 , wherein said apparatus includes a path for said pilot and said flow throttling device to ensure operating of said flow throttling device in a bi-directional axial movement. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 14 , wherein said pilot actuator assembly is comprised of a rear pilot shaft, front pilot shaft, pilot shield, and pilot. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 14 , wherein maximizing differential pressure by utilizing said flow cone is realized in that said cone provides for increasing the velocity of said drilling fluid through said main valve actuator assembly, thereby greatly enhancing the pressure differential and controllability of energy pulses created by engaging or disengaging of said pilot valve from a pilot seat. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 14 , wherein further reducing energy consumption is achieved by pre-filling a bellows chamber with a lubricating fluid, gel or paste. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 14 , wherein said apparatus for generating pulses includes allowing a bellows to move linearly, concurrent with said pilot actuator assembly, wherein designing of said bellows interacting with said pilot actuator assembly and a bellows chamber allows for conforming of said bellows to the space constraints of said bellows chamber, thereby providing flexible sealing without said bellows being displaced by the pressure differential created by said drilling fluid. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 14 , wherein said bellows includes a double loop configuration designed for flexible sealing thereby requiring less energy consumption during displacing said bellows. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 14 , wherein sensing said pulse in drilling mud is achieved by instrumentation located uphole and wherein communicating said pulse requires wireless devices with a computer and associated programmable controller for interpretation of the data associated with said pulse. 
     
     
       27. Two or more apparatuses for generating pressure pulses in a drilling fluid flowing within a coiled tubing assembly comprising:
 two or more flow throttling devices longitudinally and axially positioned within the center of a main valve actuator assembly, said main valve actuator assembly comprising a main valve pressure chamber, a magnetic cup encompassing a rotary magnetic coupling containing at least one magnet adjacent to a drive shaft wherein said magnetic cup is located within a pilot actuator assembly, said assembly including a pilot orifice with a pilot valve, a pilot flow shield, a bellows and an anti-rotation block such that passage of said drilling fluid flows through a pilot flow screen and further flows into a main flow entrance into a flow cone through a main orifice and into a main valve past the main valve pressure chamber past a set of seals and through a main valve support block toward a flow seal guide where said fluid combines with a pilot exit fluid that flows toward a main exit flow such that as said fluid becomes a pilot fluid, said pilot fluid subsequently flows through said pilot flow screen into said pilot flow screen chamber through a pilot flow upper annulus, through a pilot flow lower annulus and into a pilot flow inlet channel, wherein said pilot fluid then flows up into a main valve feed channel until it reaches said main valve pressure chamber such that said pilot fluid flows back down the main valve feed channel through a pilot flow exit channel through said pilot orifice and said pilot valve such that said pilot fluid exits said pilot valve and said pilot fluid then flows over said pilot flow shield such that said pilot fluid combines with said main flow to become a main exit flow fluid, said main exit flow fluid then exits a pilot valve support block and flows on either side of said magnetic cup including said rotary magnetic coupling and wherein one or more pressure sensors measuring the pressure of flowing fluid is located inside said pilot valve support block upon which a helical pulser support rests wherein said pilot valve support block also houses an annular pressure sensor residing in an annular pressure inlet and wherein a lower portion of said pilot valve support block also contains a helically cut cylinder that mates with and rests on the helical pulser support that is mounted securely in a tubular hang-off collar such that said annular pressure inlet is aligned with one or more collared annular pressure ports thus still allowing said main exit flow fluid to flow past the drive shaft and motor such that said pilot fluid and main exit flow fluid causes one or more flow throttling devices to generate large, rapid controllable pulses thereby allowing transmission of well-developed signals easily distinguished from any noise resulting from other vibrations due to nearby equipment within said borehole or exterior to said borehole, or within said coiled tubing assembly, wherein said signals also are capable of providing predetermined height, width and shape.